Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.There was something jarringly jolly about Swap My Council House, BBC1's documentary about the consequences of this country's housing shortage. That title, the upbeat music on the soundtrack and the voiceover, all suggested a game show sensibility trapped in the format of a dour social-affairs documentary.
We met council tenants from all over the country who were attempting to organise moves from their current homes. Former model and actress Jenny in Surrey was a well-spoken elderly eccentric on the Barbara Cartland model. She felt sure that her decision to paint every wall pink had nothing to do with her swapping struggles. In Manchester, another Jenny had an ill-conceived plan to move her family of four (plus menagerie of pets) into a new home in Plymouth at exactly the same time as the previous tenants, a family of seven, were moving out.
It was often chaotic, but at least almost everyone in Swap My Council House was moving out of choice. There were no examples of the more controversial situations in which council tenants have recently been evicted. Their stories might
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments